parksandrecreationfandomcom-20200214-history
The Master Plan
"The Master Plan" is the twenty-third episode of season 2 of the NBC television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on May 13, 2010 to 4.28 million viewers. Storyline Leslie Knope excitedly prepares to present the parks department budget proposal, or "master plan". However, city manager Paul Iaresco announces that due to Pawnee's huge budget deficit, all proposals will be postponed indefinitely. State auditors have been sent by the governor to solve the impasse, which makes Leslie fear severe cuts. Ron Swanson is delighted because he hates any government spending, which leads him to heated arguments with Leslie. Meanwhile, April Ludgate is turning 21 and is having her birthday party at Tom Haverford's favorite nightclub, The Snakehole Lounge. Andy Dwyer debates whether to ask April to be his girlfriend, but worries about the age difference because he is 29. Ann Perkins has broken up with Mark Brendanawicz, who was left confused because they never fought or even argued with each other. Ann explains their relationship simply did not have the right chemistry for her. State auditors Chris Traeger and Ben Wyatt soon arrive, and the extremely cheerful Chris paints an optimistic picture of how they will fix the budget, but leaves the details to the more serious Ben. When Ben explains they will need to slash the budget of every department by nearly 40 or 50 percent, Leslie angrily lashes out at Ben, who responds to her that the poorly-managed government is to blame. Later, at April's party, Tom desperately tries to pick up women, to no avail, while Leslie and Ann get extremely drunk together. Andy and April appear to be getting along, but when he goes to the bar to get a drink for April, a drunken Ann flirts with him. Upset, April flirts with Tom's annoying friend Jean-Ralphio Saperstein to make Andy jealous. Andy gets upset, believing he misread April's signals all along, and April later regrets what she did. Ben arrives at the party and tries to smooth things out with a drunken Leslie, but she again angrily lashes out at him. The next morning, Ann fears she made out with someone at the party but cannot remember whom. She eventually learns that she made out with Chris, who shows a romantic interest in her. Tom returns to the Snakehole Lounge to close his tab, where he meets the bartender, Lucy, who makes fun of his efforts to pick up women. The two get along and Lucy gives Tom her phone number, to his immense pleasure. Leslie decides to apologize to Ben, and he invites her out for a beer. As they finally start to get along, Leslie realizes Ben was the mayor of a small town called Partridge, Minnesota. It was national news because he was only 18 when elected, and he promptly drove the entire government into the ground. Ben became a state auditor to prove he can be responsible and restart his political career. Later, at the parks department budget meeting, Chris and Ben reveal Pawnee's budget crisis was far worse than previously thought and that the Pawnee government will shut down until further notice, horrifying Leslie and delighting Ron. Quotes Tom: Do not miss tonight's April Ludgate birthday bash. 9 o'clock p.m. At the world famous Snakehole Lounge. The place the Pawnee Journal has called, "The sexiest, most dangerous club in town." Leslie: That's not what they wrote. Tom: Fine. I added the word sexiest. But, we've hired better security. Leslie: Well, but Chris said that you just had to, you know, tinker with things. Ben: Yeah he said that because that sounds a lot better than, "We're going to gut it with a machete." Chris: Scientists believe that the first human being to live 150 years has already been born. I believe I am that human being. Andy: ''April'' I thought she liked me. I guess I'm super bad at picking up singles. That Ralph Macchio guy's a total douche. Ben: When I was 18, I ran for mayor of my small town and won. Little bit of anti-establishment voter rebellion I guess. Here's the thing, though, about 18 year olds. They're idiots. So I pretty much ran the place into the ground and after two months got impeached. Worst part was my parents grounded me. Chris: I'd love to chat with you. Can I call you? Ann: You have my phone number? Chris: No, you couldn't remember your phone number. But you gave me your phone.